Global Regulatory Intelligence

The South Africa high demand spectrum policy has changed. Notice 4163 of 2026, published on 25 September 2026, withdraws the spectrum reserved since 2019 for a wireless open access network (WOAN), including frequencies in the 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz bands. ICASA can now license that spectrum. ICASA's type approval rules don't change, but more mobile capacity in these bands is on the way.

The Vietnam 2G network shutdown is complete. GSM could be used only until the end of 15 September 2026, and from 16 September the Ministry of Science and Technology's new plan splits 890–915 MHz and 935–960 MHz into five 5 MHz blocks for IMT systems. Devices that rely only on 2G, including machine-to-machine trackers and meters, no longer have a network. 3G in the band has a set end date of 14 September 2028.

Korea MSIT license-exempt radio standards are set to change. MSIT Public Notice No. 2026-1006, published on 13 October 2026, proposes a new technical standard for ground- and wall-penetrating radar, drops the indoor-only label for 10 GHz-band object detection sensors, and lets existing analog personal radios stay in use until the end of 2032. Comments closed on 3 November. Radar makers would get one year after adoption to meet the new limits.

FCC Covered List component enforcement has started. On 22 October 2026 the FCC said its Office of Engineering and Technology stopped a dashboard camera and a wireless video transmitter from being marketed or sold in the United States because both contained a HiSilicon chip. It's the first action under the rule in force since 13 October 2026 that bars authorization of devices with logic-bearing parts from Covered List entities. Here's what manufacturers should check.

FCC Reciprocal Economy test labs now have a named list. The full text of FCC 26-73, released on 30 October 2026, names 62 economies where FCC testing can continue after 1 December 2028, and mainland China, India and Switzerland aren't among them. The order also confirms that existing FCC grants stay valid without retesting, defines which lab activities count, and asks whether SDoC products should be tested in the US or a Reciprocal Economy too.

Togo ARCEP type approval now runs under a new framework. Decision No. 152/ARCEP/DG/26, signed on 23 September 2026 and in force from that day, replaces the 2001 rules for telecom terminal and radio equipment and adds a separate approval for installers. Applications are filed online with one sample, test reports and a set of declarations. ARCEP has 42 days to decide, certificates last five years, and approved products must carry a permanent label.

India BIS CRS FAQs were updated by MeitY on 19 October 2026. The 89 questions explain how the Compulsory Registration Order applies to dashcams, body-worn cameras, smart doorbells, smart and XR glasses, LED lamps with batteries or sensors, and earphone charging cases. They also confirm that chargers registered only to IS 13252 can't ship after 1 November 2028 and that some battery capacity tests apply only to cylindrical and prismatic cells.

FCC Cyber Trust Mark label rules are taking shape. In Public Notice DA 26-1162, released on 27 October 2026, the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau asks for comment on how the IoT label should look, what the QR-linked "cyber nutrition label" must show, how often manufacturers renew and how products will be checked after certification. It proposes a three-year renewal instead of the five years industry recommended.

The CPSC garage door operator UL 325 rule is changing. A direct final rule published on 30 October 2026 updates 16 CFR part 1211 to the Seventh Edition of UL 325, revised 15 September 2025. Battery backup operators must work normally on backup power or stop and leave the door open, and must pass entrapment tests at their lowest operating voltage. The rule takes effect on 29 December 2026 unless adverse comments arrive.

Canada RSS-247 DFS certification rules were amended on 8 October 2026. ISED's Amendment 1 to RSS-247 Issue 4 updates section 7.3.6.3 after the publication of RSS-Gen Issue 6. For 5 GHz Wi-Fi and other LE-LAN devices operating in the 5600–5650 MHz weather radar band, the text now sets a 10-minute channel availability check and a 1 s channel closing transmission time when using the ETSI EN 301 893 test procedure.

India standalone HDD BIS registration now has a later start date. MeitY's notification S.O. 5689(E) of 16 October 2026, published in the Gazette of India on 17 October, extends the implementation of S.O. 2204(E) from 5 November 2026 to 1 May 2027. Standalone hard disk drives still need registration under IS 13252 (Part 1) in the Compulsory Registration Scheme, but manufacturers and importers get six more months to complete testing and register.

UK energy smart appliances compliance will start later for electric heating, and with more ways to meet it. In an interim response published on 17 September 2026, DESNZ moved the implementation date for electrical heating appliances to 31 October 2028 or two years after the regulations are made, whichever is later. It will also accept EU MID compliance for metering and EN 18031-3:2024 for cyber security, alongside the routes in the draft rules.

India BIS screen protector licensing now has its operating rules. On 15 October 2026 the Bureau of Indian Standards issued guidelines for granting and running CRS licences for glass screen protectors for smartphones under IS 19348:2025. They set a 40-piece test sample, the details to declare in every test request, how the licence scope is written and a fog marking on every piece. The guidelines apply immediately, ahead of the 1 April 2027 deadline.

Vietnam QCVN 32:2026/BCT EV charger rules are now final. The Ministry of Industry and Trade signed Circular No. 61/2026/TT-BCT on 29 September 2026, setting safety, EMC, communication, marking and conformity requirements for EV charging equipment up to 1,000 V AC or 1,500 V DC, plus rules for public charging stations. From 1 July 2027, chargers need certification, a declaration of conformity and the CR mark before sale.

Ecuador ARCOTEL 6 GHz Wi-Fi rules are out for consultation. On 21 October 2026 the regulator proposed adding the full 5925–7125 MHz band to its technical standard for licence-exempt spectrum, with indoor-only limits for access points and a lower-power tier for portable devices in 5925–6425 MHz. The draft also adds four bands for wireless power transfer. Written comments close on 5 November 2026, followed by a public hearing on 11 November.

CEPT WPT emission limits are being extended to cordless kitchen appliances. A draft revision of ECC Recommendation (25)01, out for public consultation until 20 November 2026, adds a 20–100 kHz operating band at 50 dBµA/m at 10 m and a new set of spurious-emission limits for these appliances. A parallel consultation on ERC Recommendation 70-03 Annex 9 updates the scope wording for hearing implants. Here's what changes and who should comment.

Malaysia SIRIM EMC immunity requirements take full effect on 5 November 2026. In an announcement dated 13 October 2026, SIRIM confirmed that the EMC requirements in MCMC MTSFB TC T022:2026 cover immunity as well as emission. New type approval applications will be checked for immunity, with an extra fee for external lab reports, and existing EMC approvals will need a Parallel by Comparison application at renewal.

Kuwait IEC 62368-1 safety regulation is on its way. Kuwait's Public Authority for Industry has notified the WTO of a draft technical regulation, G/TBT/N/KWT/783, covering audio/video, information and communication technology equipment. Comments are open until 6 December 2026. If adopted as proposed, the rules would take effect one year after adoption, giving manufacturers time to prepare IEC 62368-1 evidence.

UK ATEX EN IEC 60079-28 has a new edition on the GB list. In Notice of Publication 0144/26, dated 22 October 2026, the Department for Business and Trade designated EN IEC 60079-28:2026, which covers equipment and transmission systems that use optical radiation in explosive atmospheres. The 2015 edition still gives a presumption of conformity until 4 March 2028, so manufacturers have a little over a year to move their GB assessments across.

UK industrial fans ecodesign rules are set to catch up with the EU. On 16 October 2026 the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero opened a consultation on replacing Regulation 327/2011 in Great Britain with requirements aligned to EU Regulation 2024/1834. Fans from 125 W to 500 kW would face higher efficiency grades, new product information and repair rules, and jet fans would come into scope. Responses are due by 24 December 2026.